Child deaths in motor vehicle crashes have declined since 1975, but crashes still cause about 1 of every 3 injury deaths among children younger than 13,
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. 2006. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available: http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html. and are the leading cause of death. Most crash deaths occur among children traveling as passenger vehicle occupants, and proper restraint use can reduce these fatalities. Placing children 12 and younger in rear seats instead of front seats reduces fatal injury risk by about a third.
Braver, E.R.; Whitfield, R.A.; and Ferguson, S.A. 1998. Seating positions and children's risk of dying in motor vehicle crashes. Injury Prevention 4:181-87.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have child safety seat laws on the books. However, even though more children now ride restrained because of these laws, many children, particularly those 4 and older, still ride unrestrained.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2009. Child restraint use in 2008 – demographic results. Traffic Safety Facts, Research Note. Report no. DOT HS-811-148. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation. Sixteen states have laws requiring children to sit in the rear, but there is considerable variation among the laws based on the child's age, height, and weight, and if the vehicle has airbags.

Data subsections:

Trends

A total of 1,045 children died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008. This is an 18 percent decline from 2008 and a 71 percent decline from 1975. The percentage of child deaths who were male declined from 62 percent in 1975 to 58 percent in 2008.

Motor vehicle crash deaths among children younger than 13 by gender, 1975-2008

Year

Male

Female

Total*

Num

%

Num

%

Num

1975

2,275

62

1,368

38

3,643

1976

2,095

61

1,328

39

3,424

1977

1,996

60

1,350

40

3,347

1978

2,021

60

1,344

40

3,367

1979

1,934

61

1,237

39

3,171

1980

1,864

61

1,183

39

3,048

1981

1,668

61

1,064

39

2,733

1982

1,530

59

1,042

40

2,573

1983

1,579

63

939

37

2,518

1984

1,484

61

937

39

2,422

1985

1,464

59

1,005

41

2,469

1986

1,560

61

972

38

2,537

1987

1,635

62

1,019

38

2,654

1988

1,610

60

1,088

40

2,701

1989

1,567

59

1,090

41

2,658

1990

1,366

59

966

41

2,332

1991

1,346

60

909

40

2,257

1992

1,311

61

851

39

2,165

1993

1,230

57

932

43

2,164

1994

1,343

58

956

42

2,301

1995

1,271

58

924

42

2,201

1996

1,245

57

941

43

2,186

1997

1,170

56

935

44

2,108

1998

1,181

58

848

42

2,032

1999

1,136

57

861

43

1,997

2000

1,071

57

817

43

1,888

2001

996

57

755

43

1,751

2002

937

58

678

42

1,617

2003

934

57

709

43

1,643

2004

902

55

743

45

1,645

2005

839

55

688

45

1,529

2006

757

53

673

47

1,430

2007

687

54

582

46

1,269

2008

608

58

435

42

1,045

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Children younger than 13 represented 17 percent of the US population in 2008 and 3 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths.

Motor vehicle deaths among children younger than 13 by type, 1975-2008

Motor vehicle crash deaths among children younger than 13 by type, 1975-2008

Year

Passenger vehicle occupants

Pedestrians

Bicyclists

Total*

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

1975

1,384

38

1,632

45

446

12

3,643

1976

1,343

39

1,522

44

394

12

3,424

1977

1,405

42

1,390

42

395

12

3,347

1978

1,395

41

1,419

42

387

11

3,367

1979

1,331

42

1,291

41

362

11

3,171

1980

1,331

44

1,183

39

346

11

3,048

1981

1,189

44

1,064

39

332

12

2,733

1982

1,158

45

986

38

265

10

2,573

1983

1,134

45

944

37

298

12

2,518

1984

1,081

45

935

39

253

10

2,422

1985

1,131

46

925

37

278

11

2,469

1986

1,188

47

913

36

293

12

2,537

1987

1,312

49

898

34

297

11

2,654

1988

1,354

50

905

34

284

11

2,701

1989

1,469

55

786

30

276

10

2,658

1990

1,268

54

768

33

185

8

2,332

1991

1,234

55

695

31

226

10

2,257

1992

1,233

57

635

29

215

10

2,165

1993

1,221

56

644

30

203

9

2,164

1994

1,344

58

659

29

205

9

2,301

1995

1,339

61

597

27

197

9

2,201

1996

1,346

62

570

26

164

8

2,186

1997

1,330

63

513

24

172

8

2,108

1998

1,333

66

464

23

152

7

2,032

1999

1,311

66

449

22

141

7

1,997

2000

1,264

67

403

21

136

7

1,888

2001

1,179

67

363

21

98

6

1,751

2002

1,131

70

317

20

92

6

1,617

2003

1,114

68

327

20

93

6

1,643

2004

1,173

71

293

18

82

5

1,645

2005

1,077

70

274

18

79

5

1,529

2006

1,013

71

267

19

76

5

1,430

2007

905

71

243

19

57

4

1,269

2008

697

67

216

21

57

5

1,045

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

In 2008, passenger vehicle occupants accounted for the largest percentage of motor vehicle crash deaths for all children through age 12. Pedestrian fatalities accounted for 4 percent of crash deaths for children under 1 year, 29 percent for ages 1 to 3, 20 percent for ages 4 to 8, and 19 percent for ages 9 to 12. Older children, ages 9 to 12 years, had the largest relative percentage of bicycle, all-terrain vehicle, and motorcycle fatalities, with 10 percent, 4 percent, and 2 percent, respectively.

Child motor vehicle crash deaths by type and age, 2008

Passenger vehicle occupants

Motorcyclists

Pedestrians

Bicyclists

All-terrain vehicle riders

Other

Total motor vehicle deaths*

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

< 1

77

92

0

0

3

4

0

0

0

0

4

5

84

1-3

163

66

0

0

72

29

2

1

2

1

8

3

247

4-8

269

68

0

0

80

20

22

6

8

2

15

4

394

9-12

188

59

8

2

61

19

33

10

14

4

16

5

320

Total*

697

67

8

1

216

21

57

5

24

2

43

4

1,045

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

The rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per million children younger than 13 has decreased 75 percent overall since 1975. The death rate for passenger vehicle child occupants decreased 56 percent, while the death rates for child pedestrians and bicyclists declined by 88 percent and 89 percent, respectively.

Motor vehicle crash deaths per million children younger than 13 by type, 1975-2008

Year

Population

Passenger vehicle occupants

Pedestrians

Bicyclists

Total*

Deaths

Rate

Deaths

Rate

Deaths

Rate

Deaths

Rate

1975

45,851,304

1,384

30.2

1,632

35.6

446

9.7

3,643

79.5

1976

45,000,704

1,343

29.8

1,522

33.8

394

8.8

3,424

76.1

1977

44,337,332

1,405

31.7

1,390

31.4

395

8.9

3,347

75.5

1978

43,907,467

1,395

31.8

1,419

32.3

387

8.8

3,367

76.7

1979

43,778,959

1,331

30.4

1,291

29.5

362

8.3

3,171

72.4

1980

43,914,342

1,331

30.3

1,183

26.9

346

7.9

3,048

69.4

1981

44,049,940

1,189

27.0

1,064

24.2

332

7.5

2,733

62.0

1982

44,131,596

1,158

26.2

986

22.3

265

6.0

2,573

58.3

1983

44,119,297

1,134

25.7

944

21.4

298

6.8

2,518

57.1

1984

43,978,044

1,081

24.6

935

21.3

253

5.8

2,422

55.1

1985

44,260,136

1,131

25.6

925

20.9

278

6.3

2,469

55.8

1986

44,755,454

1,188

26.5

913

20.4

293

6.5

2,537

56.7

1987

45,348,247

1,312

28.9

898

19.8

297

6.5

2,654

58.5

1988

45,942,966

1,354

29.5

905

19.7

284

6.2

2,701

58.8

1989

46,690,604

1,469

31.5

786

16.8

276

5.9

2,658

56.9

1990

47,472,527

1,268

26.7

768

16.2

185

3.9

2,332

49.1

1991

48,240,747

1,234

25.6

695

14.4

226

4.7

2,257

46.8

1992

48,903,668

1,233

25.2

635

13.0

215

4.4

2,165

44.3

1993

49,335,864

1,221

24.7

644

13.1

203

4.1

2,164

43.9

1994

49,692,462

1,344

27.0

659

13.3

205

4.1

2,301

46.3

1995

49,920,484

1,339

26.8

597

12.0

197

3.9

2,201

44.1

1996

50,085,188

1,346

26.9

570

11.4

164

3.3

2,186

43.6

1997

50,364,983

1,330

26.4

513

10.2

172

3.4

2,108

41.9

1998

50,527,476

1,333

26.4

464

9.2

152

3.0

2,032

40.2

1999

50,667,139

1,311

25.9

449

8.9

141

2.8

1,997

39.4

2000

52,219,423

1,264

24.2

403

7.7

136

2.6

1,888

36.2

2001

52,341,395

1,179

22.5

363

6.9

98

1.9

1,751

33.5

2002

52,332,306

1,131

21.6

317

6.1

92

1.8

1,617

30.9

2003

52,187,602

1,114

21.3

327

6.3

93

1.8

1,643

31.5

2004

52,151,406

1,173

22.5

293

5.6

82

1.6

1,645

31.5

2005

52,149,395

1,077

20.7

274

5.3

79

1.5

1,529

29.3

2006

52,306,908

1,013

19.4

267

5.1

76

1.5

1,430

27.3

2007

52,585,809

905

17.2

243

4.6

57

1.1

1,269

24.1

2008

52,929,779

697

13.2

216

4.1

57

1.1

1,045

19.7

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

It is recommended that children 12 and younger ride in vehicle rear seats. Nineteen percent of the passenger vehicle child occupant deaths in 2008 occurred in front seats, down from 46 percent in 1975. Seventy-three percent were in the rear, and the rest occurred in cargo or unknown areas.

Passenger vehicle occupant deaths among children younger than 13 by seating position, 1975-2008

Year

Front seat

Rear seat

Cargo/unknown area

Total

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

1975

634

46

367

27

383

28

1,384

1976

563

42

423

31

357

27

1,343

1977

654

47

383

27

368

26

1,405

1978

676

48

394

28

325

23

1,395

1979

635

48

394

30

302

23

1,331

1980

661

50

374

28

296

22

1,331

1981

547

46

406

34

236

20

1,189

1982

570

49

421

36

167

14

1,158

1983

548

48

420

37

166

15

1,134

1984

523

48

394

36

164

15

1,081

1985

515

46

428

38

188

17

1,131

1986

550

46

486

41

152

13

1,188

1987

582

44

571

44

159

12

1,312

1988

604

45

575

42

175

13

1,354

1989

637

43

655

45

177

12

1,469

1990

542

43

548

43

178

14

1,268

1991

538

44

558

45

138

11

1,234

1992

514

42

602

49

117

9

1,233

1993

509

42

613

50

99

8

1,221

1994

543

40

631

47

170

13

1,344

1995

558

42

627

47

154

12

1,339

1996

558

41

654

49

134

10

1,346

1997

493

37

692

52

145

11

1,330

1998

463

35

729

55

141

11

1,333

1999

438

33

744

57

129

10

1,311

2000

382

30

752

59

130

10

1,264

2001

368

31

707

60

104

9

1,179

2002

326

29

693

61

112

10

1,131

2003

300

27

716

64

98

9

1,114

2004

292

25

793

68

88

8

1,173

2005

272

25

710

66

95

9

1,077

2006

214

21

731

72

68

7

1,013

2007

171

19

673

74

61

7

905

2008

131

19

511

73

55

8

697

Age and gender

In 1975 infants (under 1 year) had a much higher passenger vehicle occupant fatality rate per capita than children of other ages, but by 2008 the age gap had narrowed considerably. Since 1975, fatality rates dropped 70 percent for infants, 69 percent for children ages 1-3, 48 percent for children ages 4-8, and 46 percent for children ages 9-12.

Passenger vehicle child occupant deaths per million children by age, 1975-2008

Passenger vehicle child occupant deaths per million children by age, 1975-2008

Year

< 1 years old

ages 1-3

ages 4-8

ages 9-12

Population

Deaths

Rate

Population

Deaths

Rate

Population

Deaths

Rate

Population

Deaths

Rate

1975

3,152,345

190

60.3

9,333,943

395

42.3

17,579,867

451

25.7

15,785,149

348

22.0

1976

3,115,391

173

55.5

9,166,175

393

42.9

17,444,438

436

25.0

15,274,700

341

22.3

1977

3,278,804

188

57.3

9,129,735

412

45.1

17,194,329

459

26.7

14,734,464

346

23.5

1978

3,326,388

192

57.7

9,317,815

406

43.6

16,838,903

455

27.0

14,424,361

342

23.7

1979

3,426,309

171

49.9

9,461,992

384

40.6

16,465,482

473

28.7

14,425,176

303

21.0

1980

3,559,861

190

53.4

9,763,803

396

40.6

15,994,363

403

25.2

14,596,315

342

23.4

1981

3,607,455

172

47.7

10,011,438

332

33.2

15,894,690

401

25.2

14,536,357

284

19.5

1982

3,643,586

164

45.0

10,287,129

352

34.2

15,997,832

365

22.8

14,203,049

277

19.5

1983

3,649,198

157

43.0

10,499,379

353

33.6

16,268,975

372

22.9

13,701,745

252

18.4

1984

3,571,921

132

37.0

10,605,208

301

28.4

16,592,564

377

22.7

13,208,351

271

20.5

1985

3,678,657

130

35.3

10,594,540

326

30.8

17,015,987

385

22.6

12,970,952

290

22.4

1986

3,699,568

130

35.1

10,653,722

360

33.8

17,338,168

409

23.6

13,063,996

289

22.1

1987

3,703,294

160

43.2

10,725,924

387

36.1

17,651,459

467

26.5

13,267,570

298

22.5

1988

3,756,541

183

48.7

10,882,631

385

35.4

17,801,235

484

27.2

13,502,559

302

22.4

1989

3,858,435

183

47.4

10,981,085

402

36.6

17,938,226

526

29.3

13,912,858

358

25.7

1990

3,987,662

162

40.6

11,168,053

343

30.7

18,082,010

447

24.7

14,234,802

316

22.2

1991

4,009,515

143

35.7

11,468,844

339

29.6

18,154,546

442

24.3

14,607,842

310

21.2

1992

3,982,857

127

31.9

11,739,325

349

29.7

18,296,744

442

24.2

14,884,742

315

21.2

1993

3,908,335

152

38.9

11,898,416

361

30.3

18,612,278

431

23.2

14,916,835

277

18.6

1994

3,854,882

160

41.5

11,821,298

379

32.1

18,958,858

486

25.6

15,057,424

319

21.2

1995

3,813,169

153

40.1

11,668,778

346

29.7

19,309,487

484

25.1

15,129,050

356

23.5

1996

3,769,544

178

47.2

11,499,426

346

30.1

19,610,009

486

24.8

15,206,209

336

22.1

1997

3,779,543

133

35.2

11,371,094

327

28.8

19,788,553

502

25.4

15,425,793

368

23.9

1998

3,790,645

138

36.4

11,301,476

304

26.9

19,814,280

512

25.8

15,621,075

379

24.3

1999

3,819,903

142

37.2

11,269,665

310

27.5

19,629,729

497

25.3

15,947,842

362

22.7

2000

3,867,754

131

33.9

11,425,866

311

27.2

20,146,324

458

22.7

16,779,479

364

21.7

2001

4,025,873

106

26.3

11,497,211

290

25.2

19,875,164

450

22.6

16,943,147

333

19.7

2002

3,984,989

107

26.9

11,733,679

272

23.2

19,662,203

405

20.6

16,951,435

347

20.5

2003

4,033,482

120

29.8

11,922,039

265

22.2

19,522,343

401

20.5

16,709,738

328

19.6

2004

4,077,188

121

29.7

12,086,916

301

24.9

19,473,829

406

20.8

16,513,473

345

20.9

2005

4,106,627

119

29.0

12,135,517

247

20.4

19,614,024

417

21.3

16,293,227

294

18.0

2006

4,130,153

115

27.8

12,265,881

247

20.1

19,809,458

375

18.9

16,101,416

276

17.1

2007

4,257,020

96

22.6

12,403,983

225

18.1

20,011,375

335

16.7

15,913,431

249

15.6

2008

4,313,132

77

17.9

12,568,765

163

13.0

20,289,522

269

13.3

15,758,360

188

11.9

The rate of motor vehicle crash deaths per million children in 2008 was 34 percent higher for males than for females.

Motor vehicle crash deaths per million children younger than 13 by gender, 2008

Gender

Number of children

Deaths

Rate

Male

27,071,742

608

22.5

Female

25,858,037

435

16.8

Total*

52,929,779

1,045

19.7

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Fifty-eight percent of children younger than 13 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 were male. The gender difference in fatalities was greater among child bicyclists (68 percent males, 32 percent females) than among child pedestrians (62 percent males, 37 percent females). The smallest gender difference in fatalities was among child occupants of passenger vehicles (55 percent males, 45 percent females).

Motor vehicle crash deaths among children younger than 13 by type and gender, 2008

Male

Female

Total*

Num

%

Num

%

Num

Passenger vehicle occupants

383

55

314

45

697

Pedestrians

135

62

80

37

216

Bicyclists

39

68

18

32

57

Total*

608

58

435

42

1,045

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Restraint use

The proportion of fatally injured children who are restrained has risen greatly during the past 23 years, from 15 percent in 1985 to 50 percent in 2008. Note, however, that these percentages are not estimates of restraint use among all children involved in potentially fatal crashes. For example, if restraint use among fatally injured 9-12 year olds (47 percent) is properly recorded, and if restraints are 45 percent effective in preventing fatalities, then restraint use among 9-12 year olds in such severe crashes is estimated to be 62 percent. In 2008, the percentage of fatally injured children who were in child safety seats was 58 percent for infants, 42 percent for ages 1-3, and 18 percent for ages 4-8.

Restraint use among fatally injured children in passenger vehicles by age, 1985

Age

Unrestrained

Seat belt

Child safety seat

Total restrained

Unknown

Total

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

< 1 years old

85

65

2

2

29

22

31

24

14

11

130

ages 1-3

230

71

18

6

55

17

73

22

23

7

326

ages 4-8

267

69

41

11

7

2

48

12

70

18

385

ages 9-12

223

77

21

7

0

0

21

7

46

16

290

Total

805

71

82

7

91

8

173

15

153

14

1,131

Restraint use among fatally injured children in passenger vehicles by age, 2008

Age

Unrestrained

Seat belt

Child safety seat

Total restrained

Unknown

Other

Total

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

%

Num

< 1 years old

18

23

4

5

45

58

49

64

2

3

8

10

77

ages 1-3

56

34

14

9

69

42

83

51

13

8

11

7

163

ages 4-8

105

39

80

30

49

18

129

48

24

9

11

4

269

ages 9-12

88

47

85

45

4

2

89

47

11

6

0

0

188

Total

267

38

183

26

167

24

350

50

50

7

30

4

697

When they died

The proportion of children killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 was larger on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, compared with other days of the week.

Motor vehicle crash deaths among children younger than 13 by day of week, 2008

Day of week

Deaths

%

Sunday

174

17

Monday

133

13

Tuesday

117

11

Wednesday

114

11

Thursday

135

13

Friday

189

18

Saturday

183

18

Total

1,045

100

Twenty-four percent of the deaths of children in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 occurred during 3-6 pm.

Motor vehicle crash deaths among children younger than 13 by time of day, 2008

Time of day

Number

%

Midnight-3am

48

5

3am-6am

32

3

6am-9am

102

10

9am-noon

111

11

Noon-3pm

160

15

3pm-6pm

246

24

6pm-9pm

227

22

9pm-midnight

116

11

Total*

1,045

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

The proportion of children killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 was greatest during the months of May, June and July.

Motor vehicle crash deaths among children younger than 13 by month, 2008